👋Hello! Back from a few weeks away. Clawing out of the inbox but in the meantime…

What did I miss? What should I be tracking?

Drop me a line on signal @ ximenabustillo.77

THE EMAIL: A few things to note about what guidance immigration judges got:
- they need to move faster
- discourage requiring written motions
- discourage 10 day response period

This guidance targets people without lawyers, which is most people in immigration court.

Hi, I'm Ximena, NPR's reporter covering the Homeland Security Dept+immigration policy. Send me tips securely via encrypted messaging on Signal, where my username is ximenabustillo.77. We're committed to protecting your identity, & will keep you anonymous if you fear retribution. Thank you in advance

Immigrant and refugee organizations have been reeling with sudden loss of funding and resources. Earlier this week, another funding freeze notice came down.

This is what happens when you go to rural.gov which used to be the site the Biden admin used to connect/discuss federal programs targeting rural communities.

USDA is the only fed agency with the specific rural mandate, including housing, internet, + infrastructure

Colombia, a US ally, has long accepted deportation and repatriation flights. Today, President Petro said he would not take in two military flights scheduled for today resulting in a full force response from Trump:

No executive order needed for the CPB One app to shut down and cancel appointments. An estimated 1 million asylum seekers have used this app.

At the time it shut down, wait times for an appointment was months long per @jasgarsd.bsky.social

A new memo from ICE circulating on the Hill emphasizes the Laken Riley Act is “impossible to execute with existing resources.”

New numbers put the need for beds at over 100k & costs over $26 billion in first year.
They say prior estimates were outdated & didn’t count for all crimes in the bill

“I thought it was a fair decision actually. So I’ll do my little thing tomorrow,” Trump said in Florida last night about the SCOTUS decision allowing this to move ahead. “They can have fun with their political opponent.”

✨PERSONAL NEWS: Excited to pivot back to policy as NPR’s Homeland Security & Immigration policy reporter!
Find me w/ my talented colleagues on a Hill, WH or agency hallway near you!

Should we talk? Are you a current/former DHS employee? Do you write these bills? Let’s chat👋

OOO 🌴 See you with more news next year 👋

Sunday Scaries comfort holiday food

ICYMI: Congress is back and one thing on their agenda is the farm bill.
There is also a very tight timeline to get anything done.

But what makes up most of that? Food stamps. I break down why and what’s on the menu in my latest from on the road in WA and NC https://t.co/XQeSDwaFf6

The Biden admin says creating a rule to protect indoor and outdoor workers from heat is a top priority. But the climate doesn’t wait for federal rulemaking or elections.

My latest from Yakima, WA: https://www.npr.org/2023/07/10/1185766013/farm-workers-extreme-heat-protection-farmers-safety

👋Hello! We will try this! Tune into this space for news on government agencies, climate, agriculture, rural development, occasional cow content and maybe a rabies joke 🦊

💃🏻Also of course plugs for Voces Internship of Idaho. Don’t know it? Check it & me out on IG @vocesinternship / @ximena.bustillo